Knitting-machine.



No. 812,314. PATBNTBD PEB. 13,1906. C. H. WHITCHER.

KNITTING MACHINE.'

APPLICATION FILED DECLZS, 1903.

'2 SHEETS-SEBBT l.

No. 812,314. PATBNTED PEB. 13, 1906.

C. H. WHITCHBR.

KNITTING MACHINE'.

APPLICATION FILED DMLZI), 1903.

l n 'www i :i |11 um @j s i I UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed December 23, 1903. Serial No. 186,267.

To all 11171/0711, t 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HNVHITGHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ipswich, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Knitting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying characters on the drawings representing parts.

like

This invention has for its object to improve that class of knitting-machines employing y ever, be used for knitting any fabric wherein it is desired that portions of the fabric show the royal-rib stitch and other portions the plain-rib stitch.

In accordance with my invention the dialcam plate sustains a plate that receives and guides a slide-bar connected with the drawing-in cam for the dial-needle, said plates, as shown, also sustaining a vertical shaft having a cam that acts in the rotation of said shaft directly on said slide-bar to move the dial-needle or drawing-in cam into position to coact with the cylinder-needles and take thread from the usual one-feed thread-guide for the production of a royal-rib or plain-rib stitch. The shaft at its lower extremity below its cam has two rows of arms occupying positions in different horizontal planes and one set of said arms in the rotation of the dial cam plate being adapted to strike against a stationary finger, while the other set of arms contacts at times with a movable pattern-controlled finger. IVhen both ngers occupy their operative positions, the royal-rib stitch will be knitted; but when the pattern-controlled finger occupies its inoperative position then the rib-stitch only will be knitted.

Figure 1 shows asuflicient portion of a knitting-machine with my improvements added to enable my invention to be understood. Fig. 2 is a view of the machine shown in Fig. l looking at the same from the right. Fig. 3 is an 'for plain-rib knitting.

drawings, is a specification, like' enlarged detail in plan of the dial-cam plate and the means employed to shift the dialcam. Fig. 4 is a section in the line Fig. 3, the dial-needle cam being in the position Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the dial needle-cam in the position for royal rib, and FiO. 6 is a plan view of the cam that is partially rotated at the proper times-under the control of the patternsurfaceV to shift the dial needle-cam mto one or its other operative position.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the bed of a knitting-machine, sustained on legs A. The bed receives centrally a camring A2, having at its inner side usual cams to raise and lower a circular series of verticallyarranged latch-needles. Inside the cam-ring A2 is a cylindrical needle-bed A3, grooved to receive the latch needles. The bed has erected upon it in usual manner a series of posts B, sustaining a cross-head B, having a hub BX. This hub receives an upright shaft B2, that is fixed in said hub by a suitable setscrew B3. To the' lower end of the shaft Bl is fixed in usual manner the dial-cam plate B4 for acting upon the butts Iof the dial-needles and moving them in the dial-bed B5, said bed being loose with relation to the shaft B2 and coacting with the needle-cylinder in usual manner, so that said needle cylinder and dial-bed remain stationary while the camring and the dial-needle cam and plate revolve.

It will be understood that the lower end of the cam-ring has a series of bevel-teeth that are engaged by a bevel-pinion on a powershaft, the rotation of which rotates said camring for knitting. I have not herein shown the power-shaft, for the reason that it, aswell as the parts so far described, are and may be as 1n common use.

The legs A of the machine have a bracket AX, that sustains a rock-shaft g, having connected with and extended therefrom an arm g2. The machineframe sustains a stud h, upon which is mounted a ratchet-wheel fm, and behind this ratchet-wheel (see Fig. 2) and sustained by the hub of said ratchet-wheel is a pattern-surface m', having suitable pins or projections, the chain being represented as driven by a sprocket mx, that may form part of the hub of the ratchet-wheel fm. The pattern surface or chain referred to acts intermittingly against a finger g4, fast to the rockshaft g, and moves the lever g2 up or down, according to the requirements of the Work, as

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- it the drawing-in cama.

'will be hereil'after described. The ratchetwheel derives fits movement from a jpawl "k7 pivoted to one end of a lever hx, pivoted at 7L, said lever being moved intermittinglyfbyfa,

slide-bar h2, having a pin h5, that acts, when" the slide is moved, against the inclineportion 2 of the lever, a spring 5 acting normally to hold the left-hand end oftheleverfdown.

The parts so far described and designated lto .my fPa't'entf N o. y755,97 5,'dated-March`29, `1.9O2i'land, therefore 'do not need "to E/b'e herein further =described. I will 'now pr'o'ceedI-'t'o :describeth'e parts that I have'addedto-amahineff the general construction of that represented "in mysaid patent, bywhi ch throu'ghthep'attern'- surface the knitting 'may bereadilychanged from royal rib to plainrib,1andvi`ce versa.

'Referrin'gto Fi-gs.-3 vand l[5,wl1ere 'the dial cam-plate B4 is--illustrated Vonf-a larger scale,

yit will be'seen that said' cam-'plaTte-haspivoted upon-itat `10, vFig.3,'a drawing-in camu, that may be of usual construction. This camlreceives a `screw-stud a that 11's extended through Ja hole -in the ldial cam-plate fand through a slide-bar atha't isfreefto be'moved vlongitudinally in a -groo'velin lagpl-ate a5, 'Exe/d vtothe cam-plate by screws 127,6. vrhas erected on'it ahubb, thatlis'conne'cted The plated5 therewithfby screws 't'. The ujper'end of this hub receives a friction-was er t2, thatv maybe of leather or other usualmateriahg and on top of this Washer is a metallic Ifri'c tion-'Washer b3, 'andthlis 'latter washersus tains, las shown, a third Washer 54, 1throughf which is extended a screw fb', VVsaid screw;

entering -a shaft t, that takes i'ts'bearingin.;y

said hub. This shaft'b6 just below thepllatej a5 has an attached cam '0, and below saidj 'cam the shaft carries'fa hubcyhaving'arms "c2 caiextended therefrom, 'as-'best shown im Fig. 6, the arms c2 being in the same line-and; the 'arm c3 beingat fright 'angles 'thereto'andl located in 'adifferent'planeffasrepresented in' "Figs, 4 and 5. l"Ifhe'fplate ai' has connected to;

`its underside by screwsba `plate 5d', that;

sustains 'theinner end of the slide a2. The slide a2 has erected upon itvapinv d2, "tha't'is connected by a spring Ld3 'with a stud d-'rising from plate a5, said spring -acting normallyfto move the vslide a2 to theright, Figs. f1 and 4,

`Vand keep its end in contact *with the cam c,

and vit will be understood that "when Asaid cam-is rotated, as will beidesc'ribed, 'it will act to move the'slide outwardly andltake with Whenthenarrcwer endsv ofthe cam c ('s'eeFig) act as'in'Fig 4, ythe slide-and drawing-mfcamwill be -put Ein the osition represented in said figure,

where t 'e dial-needles,`- one 'onlyfbeing shown,'

will be drawninlto cast Voff their loopsia'nd yknit a Aplain-rib fabric,ffas Ywhenlknittin' @iin 'the 'production of "welts V'or tucks, vvis 'eected bythe plainerib :stitch followin'gthe production 'of *the "'royallribsti-teh. 'When,.

however, the longer face of the cam c acts against the inner end of theslide a2, then the drawing-in cam is held in the position shown :said Fig. 5, the dial-needles not being drawn in far enough to cast off their loops, and-asa result the stitch is that known as the "royal rib. To rotate this cam c, I have provided means which I will now describe.

The bed has secured'to it by a suitable bolt e-astand e', slotted-"alt e2 to receive the'foo't of 'apost `e`3,'havinfga hole to -receive fan adjustableffingerfe. The postlislo'cked infits adjusted' position in thefslot yezby a suitable nut 95. The 'fingeret is eXtend'ediforw-ardly in the ath I of the lowermos-t arms c3, 'extended Ifiom ftheshaft' '56. 'homit a'ho'llo'w post jhaving :a slot f to re'- ceive aprojectionfz, extended from a vertically-moving rod 3., said proj ectionand slot vacting to prevent any rotation of said 'rod. The rod f 3' sustains in'an adjustable mannerfa -finger f4, that is extended therefrom, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) and this fingermaybe-p'ut :into the 'path ofmovement of the arms 02, extended/from the shaft S56, as when 'royal-rib knitting isto be done, or ma-ylbe put into a 'position outofithe .path of'movement of'said `-'arm's,1as representediin Fig. 4, as when-'plainrib knittingvisto be done, the presence' ofthe iin-ger b4 in its operative position insuring Vthe relativestepeby-step movement of the 4'shaft 't6-'and *the production of the royal-ri`b'stitch.

`In operation liet itbe supposed that the lelver gzhas beenraised through the action of the pattern-chain and has lifted therod f3, *so that the finger fi-stands outl ofline with the path' of movement o'f thearms c?, `extend- `ed-'from the shaft V56. lIn this "condition the cam o may hold' the drawingei'ncam in' the po- "sitionFig `4ffor-as many courses-as may-be -indica-ted bythe pattern-Chain, and at this "time plain-ribfstitch fwill bef knitted. `When, ghowever,fachangeisdesired in the knitting from' the plainrifb'stitch-tothe royalrib, then Ala v'projection of 'the patterndcylin'dcr will lact to lower the rod f 3, putting the finger f 4 in the 'patho'f movement o'f one ofthe arms 02,-'then Tatv the front o'fthe head c', and as soon-.as one of=said armsin'the rota-tion vof the dial cam "plate in t'hedirection of the arrow, Fig. '3, lmeets saidnger the shaft b will 'begivena quarter-turn, moving it in the direction 'of the flarrow ithereon, Fig. f4. This movement will bring one ofthe arms cginthe'pathof movementpf 'fthe alwayse'stationa'ry finger e4, l-so 'that vin 'the continued f rotation o`f the 'I'diial- "cam plate the `shaft lb'will immediately have imparted to fi't :another quarter-turn while another course is beingknitted but th'is'ti'rne the "fdrawinglin camwill occupy Atheposition -Fig. '5. -Afterthe 'knitting ofthi'sl'first :course another 'armf-'czl -i'ni' the 'rotation of the dial-cam depressed position, :andthe shaft fb V:is again Thebed Alalso has rising given a quarter-turn. So long as the royalrib stitch is being knitted course after course the shaft b and its cam will be moved a quarter of a turn for each rotation of the dial-cam plate, the needles at one rotation occupying the position Fig. 4 and at the next rotation the position Fig. 5. When, however, the pin]rJx is raised by the pattern-chain and held up in the position Fig. 4, then during all the rotation of the cam-cylinder and the dialcam plate carrying the drawing-in cam the knitting will be of the usual plain-rib variety.

I have not shown the usual thread-guide for supplying the thread to the needle, nor have I seen fit to herein illustrate the cylinder-needles, as they are and may be all as common in single-feed rotary-rib machines.

The ratchet-wheel h herein shown is common to my said patent, and it may be used, if necessary, to operate the slack course and welt attachment as provided for in said patent, the slack course serving to separate the fabric at desired portions of its length to be used for rib tops or cus or to be applied to a transferrer that the loops may be picked onto any series of needles in order that a leg or foot or other portion of a garment may be knitted to the rib or cuff.

It will be noticed herein that the slide-bar connected directly with the drawing-in cam of the dial needle-plate is acted upon directly by a double-ended cam on a vertical shaft, and this shaft is rotated intermittingly step by step during each rotation of the dial-cam plate so long as royal-rib stitch is desired; but whenever a plain-rib stitchis desired then through the pattern-surface described the nger f4, under the control of the patternsurface, is raised or put into its inoperative position, and immediately further rotation of the cam-shaft b is stopped, and thereafter plain-rib stitch will be made for as many courses as the dial-cam plate is revolved and the finger f4 is in its inoperative position.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a knitting-machine, the combination with a dial-needle bed, a dial-cam plate and its drawing-in cam, a vertical shaft having a cam, and means to rotate said shaft intermittingly, and .devices intermediate the cam on said vertical shaft and the said drawing-in cam that said cam on the vertical shaft may change the position of said drawing-in cam according to the class of knitting to be done.

2. In a knitting-machine having a needlebed and cam-ring for moving a series of cylinder-needles; a dial-needle bed and dial-cam plate for moving a series of dial-needles to coact with the cylinder-needles, a drawing-in cam for the dial-needles, a vertical shaft having a cam, means acting automatically to rotate said shaft, and means intermediate the cam on said shaft and said drawing-in cam that said shaft as it is rotated may insure two different positions for said drawing-in cam according as it is desired to knit royalrib or plain-rib stitch.

3. In a knitting-machine having a needlebed and cam-ring for moving a series of cylinder-needles, a dial-needle bed and dial-cam plate for moving a series of dial-needles to coact with the cylinder-needles, a drawing-in cam for the dial-needles, a slide-bar `connected with said drawing-in cam, a vertical shaft having a double-ended cam, a spring acting normally to bear said slide-bar toward said double-ended cam, and means acting automatically to rotate said shaft that its cam may insure two different positions for said slide-bar and the drawing-in cam according as it is desired to knit the royal-rib or plain-rib stitch.

4. In a knitting-machine, a drawing-in cam, a connected slide-bar, a vertical shaft having a cam, and two series of arms below said cam, said arms occupying a position in different horizontal planes, two fingers one coact-ing with each set of said arms, and a patternsurface to change the position of one of said fingers to stop the rotation of said cam when only plain-rib knitting is to be done.

5. In a knitting-machine, a drawing-in cam, a connected slide-bar, a vertical shaft having a cam, and two series of arms below said cam, said arms occupying positions in different horizontal planes, a stationary finger coacting with one set of said arms during the knit; ting of each course of stitches, and a patterncontrolled :finger which may be put in position to be struck by the other set of said arms or into a position out ment of said set of arms to thereby arrest the rotation of the shaft having said cam.

6. In a knitting-machine, a dial-cam plate having a pivoted drawing-in cam, a slide connected with said drawing-in cam, a plate connected with said dial-cam plate and serving as a guide for said slide, a hollow hub, a shaft rotatably mounted in said hub and having a cam and projecting arms, a pattern-surface, a stationary finger, and a movable patterncontrolled finger, the position of the patterncontrolled finger determining whether or not the shaft having said cam shall be rotated intermittingly for the production of a royal-rib stitch, or if said shaft and its cam shall be stopped, for thc production of a plain-rib stitch.

In testimony lwhereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. WHITCHER.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, EDITH M. STODDARD.

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of the path of move- 

